Safe Speed Forums

Dear Camera Operator

Here's a more accurate version of a phrase in your last post:

" As the law stands, anyone exceeding the posted speed limit by even a fraction will be nicked and treated as if they're mass murderers. This does not apply to police officers" (see separate posting) "who can do what speed they like, wherever and whenever they like and for no apparent good reason, and they won't get done unless they are in Dorset".

That is perfectly true and correct. However, can you put your hand on your heart and say that every vehicle that you "NIP" is creating a hazard with its speed? If the answer is (as I suspect from your comments about speed limits needing a good overhaul) "no", then you are operating purely legalistically rather than actually achieving anything. Remember, in this country it is still illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day... Should we all be prosecuted for doing so? After all, it is against the law.

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

but once again you are comparing speed / to safe driver

i class myself as a safe driver, i have not had an accident for over 15 years (no it was not speeding), i havebeen examined by both the police and fire service, i keep to the posted speed limits do i get a decrease in my motor insurance no, am i thanked for being a safe driver no

the are some sites that i am required to visit where i sit there and think why the hell is this limit 30mph, but that is up to someone higher up the chain to decide,

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now retired

No I'm not... I'm saying that the enforcement of effectively irrelevant laws is little more than mental masturbation, albeit a quite profitable variant.


You're making my point for me.. You're being "forced" into enforcing limits that have no grounding in reality or common sense - they're "just the law". BTW (and in very poor taste, for which I apologise in advance - not that it'll stop me from saying it..) "I was only obeying orders" didn't work too well at the Nuremburg Trials.

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

Sorry Pogo, but its not only in poor taste but demonstrates no sense of proportion or scale to boot. No matter how insidious we may consider the current speed enforcement to be, Camera Op sitting in a van enforcing UK law is not in any way compaprable to the actions of the Nazis. Furthermore, its also going too far to suggest that this is the way the Nazis might have started, so can we please stop using these exaggerated metaphors?

It's good that you're here providing a sense of proportion. It's really very important that we don't gradually drift towards an extreme viewpoint.

The worst basic characteristic of most of the people on the other side of the debate is that they are misguided. They want to save lives too and they believe that they are doing the right thing.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Read it again Riggy...

Firstly, I made my "apology" in order to point out that I was making a hyperbolic statement concerning "only obeying orders" - and the futility of that as an excuse in a free society.

Secondly, where on earth do you get the idea that I'm suggesting in any way shape or form that "this is the way that the Nazis might have started"? - something, frankly, I find deeply insulting.

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

Hmmm. You're right there. Looks like I commented too soon as well. Apologies.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

There's always going to be a problem of the intent communicated in forum messages. In other words, what you were thinking when you drew your analogy (apology caveat included) wasn't what was communicated to me as the reader.
I read into your use of the Nuremburg Trials metaphor the idea that, effectively, one day CO's day will come and he will be judged on his actions today. Some individuals working in certain sectors do not have the luxury of ignoring orders; do that and they lose their jobs. And bear in mind, many people think CO is doing an excellent job and that there should be more of him. Whichever way this issue turns out, its almost certainly not going to result in the 'troops' being tried by their peers.



Drawing comparison with dark, historical events is too often used a way of over-emphasising displeasure with the modern status-quo and has been deployed here before. I accept that you didn't go so far as to say that yourself and I didn't actually mean to infer that you did when I wrote the above, I was generalising and am guilty as charged of not explaining myself properly (as discussed above)

Please accept my apologies, sorry

sticking with the analogy - others who refused to obey orders would have lost a lot more than their jobs.